HR Advisor (Maternity Leave Cover)

Trust HR Advisor- Mat Leave Cover

Start Date: Early February 2022

Closing Date: 9am on Friday 03rd December 2021

Interviews: During week commencing 6th December 2021

Salary: £28,672- £32,910 per annum FTE (subject to experience) £21,697-£24,904 per annum (actual)

Contract: Fixed Term, 28 hours per week, 52 weeks

SAST is a strong and ambitious Trust of both primary and secondary schools seeking to ensure an excellent and sustainable 0-19 education for children within our community across West and North Dorset as well as South Somerset. The Trust now consists of 5000 children and over 850 staff working in our 17 schools and shared services teams.

We wish to appoint an exceptional HR professional with a proven track- record of delivering outstanding HR support to join our Trust to cover a period of maternity leave. Ideally, you will have experience of working in an educational and/or a multi- site environment. The successful candidate must be qualified to a minimum CIPD Level 5 Diploma in HR, with a generalist HR background to manage a varied and interesting workload. This is an exciting opportunity to influence the development of an HR function for a growing trust, aspiring to be an employer of choice.

The successful postholder will provide expert HR guidance and direction to trustees, senior leaders, line managers and school governing bodies. In collaboration with HR colleagues, you will design and deliver training to support key people processes and focus on HR initiatives and projects to underpin the Trust’s People Strategy. Assigned a number of schools across the trust, you will work closely with Heads and senior leaders to address HR priorities and manage casework in each school. 

The successful candidate will:

• Promote and support the vision and values of the Trust
• Be committed to partnership, collaboration and excellent teamwork
• Have proven experience and expertise in an HR generalist role in a large/complex organisation
• Qualified to a minimum of Level 5 CIPD Diploma in HRM or equivalent 
• Be customer-focused
• Be highly resilient, with relentless determination to succeed and drive change
• Have excellent communication skills 
• Use resources, intellect, creativity and innovation to be successful
• Have high expectations, an interest in education and want to make a difference

Our values and ethos focuses on developing a love of learning, high achievement both personally and academically which comes from the tremendous work of all our staff and the great achievements of our children.

The Sherborne Area Schools’ Trust includes schools across Dorset and South Somerset from Sherborne to Shaftesbury and Wincanton. Our area is one of the best areas to live in Britain offering something for everyone. Sherborne is a centre of excellence for education and has been described as ‘one of the most drop-dead-gorgeous towns in the country’ and having the feel of ‘a small cathedral city’. There are easy road and direct rail links to London, Bath, Bristol, Exeter and the glorious Dorset coast and countryside.

We will also offer an excellent package:

• A competitive salary; £21,697 - £24,904 per annum (Actual) - starting point subject to experience
• 30 days annual leave + Bank Holidays pro rata
• Access to an excellent contributory Pension Scheme
• Access to continuous professional development opportunities
• On-site nursery provision at some of our academies
• A strong MAT with a clear sense of shared moral purpose and a real opportunity to transform the lives of young people

You are warmly encouraged to get in touch prior to application to discuss the position. Our Head of HR, Catherine Watson is available to have an informal discussion with interested applicants about the role. Please contact her on 01935 811051/07908959044 or at catherine.watson@sast.org.uk. You are also most welcome to visit the Trust.

For a recruitment pack and online application form, please visit the trust website: www.sast.org.uk

Safeguarding responsibilities associated with this role will not include engagement in regulatory activity. It will have minimal contact with young people on a day-to day basis. SAST is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will have to meet the person specification and the post is subject to safeguarding checks, including an enhanced DBS check and Children’s Barred List check. The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020.

Sherborne Area Schools’ Trust (SAST) recognises the benefit of having a diverse workforce and is committed to building a workforce which reflects diversity from the communities it serves. SAST values the contributions from all staff from a wide range of different backgrounds and actively seeks to promote an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment and at the same time supports fair promotion and cultural acceptance. Under the provision of the Equality Act 2010 SAST welcomes applications from everyone and operates a recruitment process which is fair and does not discriminate against or disadvantage anyone because of their age, disability, gender reassignment status, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race or nationality, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.